Iraq has declined Jordan's offer to become the first Arab state to send troops to Iraq.

Iraq's Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari said Saturday that there are "sensitivities" over the country's immediate neighbors performing peacekeeping operations. But he said those countries could back U.N. activities.

Jordan's King Abdullah had made the offer Thursday. Yemen has also offered to send troops if asked, but only after a withdrawal of U.S. coalition forces and only if the Yemeni troops were under U.N. command.

Meanwhile, Bahrain's King Hamad said Saturday his country's naval force is ready to resume guarding Iraq's territorial waters if the new government asks it to do so.